


Neo Debt

by Cameo (CameoSF)



Series: Debts of Honor [3]
Category: Eroica Yori Ai o Komete | From Eroica with Love, Third Reich - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-05 00:07:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3097601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameoSF/pseuds/Cameo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorian and Klaus are in need of help from the COA.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neo Debt

**Author's Note:**

> No non-con in this one, just a little violence (off-screen).

            Dorian hadn’t spoken to Klaus in several weeks, not since the thief had been caught red-handed attempting to con information out of Agent G about some artifacts another unit of NATO had been assigned to guard.  The object Dorian had been after, an ancient Egyptian necklace,  wasn’t really worth the fuss Klaus had raised, and he was only glad that G hadn’t said enough to warrant a trip to northern climes.  As it was, Dorian had allowed time for Klaus to calm down before contacting him again.  To his dismay however, every time he phoned he was told that Major Eberbach was out.  The Alphabet wouldn’t say where, and Dorian was becoming convinced that his dear Klaus was deliberately avoiding him.  That would not do.

            “This is Herr Mensch,” he said in his best High German when his latest call was answered.  Agent A sounded stiff. “I am calling on behalf of Major Eberbach’s father.  Is the Major there, please?”

            “No, I’m sorry, Major Eberbach is away on a mission.  May I take a message?”

            “When do you expect him back?”

            “We’re not certain.  Is it an emergency?” Beyond A there was a flurry of voices, cut off abruptly. “Herr Mensch?”

            Dorian dropped the act and switched to English. “It’s me, A.  Where is Klaus?”

            “Oh.” Now A sounded relieved, but Dorian detected a note of strain. “Lord Gloria, I’m sorry, I can’t tell you anything further.”

            “How can you not know when Klaus is due back?  You’re in touch with him, aren’t you?”  Dorian’s sixth sense kicked in. “Is he in danger?”

            “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you--”

            “A, you know I’m not going to sit back and twiddle my thumbs if Klaus is in trouble.  Tell me what’s going on.”

            “It’s classified.  I really am sorry--”

            “Swear he’s not in danger and I’ll stop bothering you.”

            A was silent.

            “Right.” Dorian hung up and called for his butler.  He was about to set a new record for getting from London to Bonn.  His staff was told to remain on standby.

            To his astonishment, he was met at the Bonn airport by Z.  The young man was alone, and one look told Dorian this was not an official reception: Z appeared both pale and haggard, and he had a nervous tendency to glance over his shoulder.

            “Lord Gloria, I must talk to you,” he stated, then steered Dorian quickly out of the building before he could ask any questions.  In the carpark Z ushered him to a battered Audi, stowed his bag in the boot, then locked them both inside.  There he hesitated.

            “It’s Klaus, isn’t it?” Dorian guessed.  From the agent’s behavior he knew it was bad; it was just a question of how bad.

            “Yes.  The Major is missing... and presumed dead.”

            “ _What?_ ” For a moment Dorian thought his heart would stop.  He put one hand to his mouth to prevent himself from crying out again.

            Z looked very young and near tears himself. “He’s been gone for over a week.  There’s been no word from any organization, no demands or threats of any kind.  None of our sources can locate him.  There was one rumor that the neo-Nazis were after him, but it dead-ended.  With nothing to go on, the Chief has to officially terminate the search and declare the Major deceased.”

            Dorian’s head was spinning. “How can he do that?  It’s too soon!  Aren’t you still looking for him?”

            “We’re trying, but nothing has panned out.  And next week we’ll all be re-assigned.” Z faced him hopefully. “I came to you because...”

            “Because I won’t give up till I find him?  You’re right!”

            “We can’t work openly with you.  The Chief wouldn’t allow it.” He could not have looked more apologetic. “He doesn’t have a high opinion of your abilities, you know.  He just requests your assistance to annoy the Major.”

            Dorian had gathered as much. “Then tell me everything you can now, before you go back on duty.”

            Z exhaled in relief, then got down to business, conscientiously describing what they knew of the Major’s movements and their efforts to track him down. 

            Klaus had left the office late one Friday evening to meet someone, and that was the last time anyone had heard from him.  When he didn’t show up at work on Monday, they found his car sitting in the NATO carpark.  There was no indication that he’d been near his flat that weekend.  No one came forward to admit to meeting with him, and none of his known enemies claimed to have seen him.  The neo-Nazis were considered because Klaus’s next mission would have been to roust and decimate the branch that had lately been committing crimes against the West German government.  Since he’d barely begun researching them, and because an agent working undercover within a higher neo-Nazi branch swore they didn’t have him, NATO had dropped that line of questioning in order not to scare off their future targets.  That left them with no leads.

            “It doesn’t make sense for anyone to keep him alive all this time,” Z concluded, and Dorian could hear him echoing NATO philosophy. “They would have tried to get information from him...”

            “Klaus wouldn’t talk, and he wouldn’t let himself be brainwashed.”

            “No, he would die first.”

            They both fell silent.  Dorian was contemplating possible courses of action, none of which sparked his hopes, when Z started the car.  He drove towards NATO solemnly.  A couple blocks away he stopped in front of an inconspicuous hotel.

            “You have a reservation here,” he said without looking at Dorian. “None of us will be working late tonight.  The cleaning crew finishes by eleven.  Security won’t check our floor till six tomorrow morning.”

            Dorian nodded; he knew most of that already. “How can I reach you if I discover something?”

            “I’ll call you.”

            “Fine.” Dorian felt as if his heart were too heavy to haul out of the car, but he got out and collected his bag, then leaned in the open window. “I promise, Z, that I will not give up until I see a body.  You can let the others know that, if they’re interested.”

            Z had brightened a little. “They are, and I will, Lord Gloria.  Thank you.”

            Dorian’s hotel room was charming, but he didn’t really notice.  He napped briefly, forcing his mind to go blank and forget the horrible prospect of losing Klaus before he truly had him.  He rose after dark and inventoried his tools, even though he didn’t anticipate any difficulty on this job.  He’d successfully broken into NATO before, and that was with a certain wolf on guard.  Without the Major there, Dorian suspected security would be relatively lax.

            He was right again: he was able to creep through deserted corridors till he reached Klaus’s office, which some helpful soul had left unlocked.  Once inside Dorian closed the door, turned on the desk lamp, and settled in for an intensive session. 

            Other than reminding Dorian how Klaus’s mind worked, ransacking his paper files did not produce anything worthwhile.  There were no notes indicating a meeting, or threatening his life, or warning him not to pursue any particular path of inquiry. 

            The next step was to ransack Klaus’s computer.  Dorian was anything but a computer whiz, but once during a mission he’d been given access to NATO records, so he knew how to maneuver through their system.  He tried his ID and password now, and was not surprised at the response ‘Access Permanently Denied’.  There was no option but to attempt to use Klaus’s own ID.  Dorian fancied he knew his Major well enough to guess his password eventually, but he also knew the system would lock if he guessed wrong three times in a row.  Sitting there, tapping one nail against his lip, he tried ‘tank’, with no luck.  Next he tried ‘mission’, again with no luck.  Conceding that computer hacking would never be his forte, Dorian typed in ‘Eroica’ for the heck of it, and watched in delight as the screen changed to the main menu. 

            It was like breaking into a candy store.  At any other time, Dorian would have been thrilled to explore NATO’s files on himself, his competitors, and Klaus, as well as security arrangements for every exhibit and facility they had any connection with.  He forced himself to forego that pleasure in order to search for Klaus’s most recent entries, all of which turned out to pertain to the neo-Nazi branch Z had mentioned.  As he read, Dorian understood the urgency of the mission: these neo-Nazis were systematically and professionally setting fire to every government building in West Berlin.  Many had burned to the ground, and others had lost irreplaceable documents.  The police had been unable even to apprehend anyone, because their first few witnesses had gone missing and all subsequent ones had retracted their statements.  No one saw anything anymore, and although everyone knew who was responsible, no one could prove it.  The police had turned to NATO to do what they legally could not, and NATO had handed the matter over to Iron Klaus, who could usually do more than any other operative.

            Since it seemed glaringly likely that the neo-Nazis were behind Klaus’ disappearance, Dorian’s next move was to look up the undercover agent who claimed they were innocent.  His file showed he was above reproach; he’d been hiding inside the ruling branch for three years, and his reports were unfailingly accurate and helpful.  If he said the neo-Nazis were not involved, then NATO was prepared to believe him.  Dorian was not.

            Barely hesitating, Dorian looked up the COA.  He knew firsthand that not all neo-Nazi-type organizations worked together, and unless the ruling branch was ready to confess to condoning the lesser branch’s arsonous activities, they couldn’t be expected to know every move being made.  The COA wasn’t exactly a neo-Nazi group, but it was about as high up the ladder as any group in existence, and Dorian had a trump card within it.

            Valery and Sebastian’s files made very interesting reading.  Fascinated by references to ‘the Black Orchid’ and ‘the Winter Prince’, he spent longer than he intended on them.  Suddenly aware of time passing, Dorian printed out their files, then also printed everything on the other neo-Nazi branches.  He next printed his own file and Klaus’s, figuring they might come in handy at some point.  He stuffed the sheaf of papers into the bag containing his tools, then logged out with a sigh and left the premises as unobtrusively as he’d arrived.

            It was after three o’clock in the morning.  Dorian found a phone kiosk near his hotel and dialed a number he’d memorized some months earlier rather than write it down and risk his Major getting hold of it.  He’d never used it before and only hoped it was still good.

            The call was answered promptly with a flat, “Who is this?”

            “Dorian Red Gloria.”

            “Who are you trying to reach?”

            “Valery.” Dorian had been told not to use a real name.  He’d also been given a phrase to use in lieu of an internal codeword. “His expertise is required on behalf of Germany.”

            “Hold.”

            Dorian held for ten minutes while the line clicked and chirped and finally went dead.  A few seconds later it picked up again, and a different voice came on.

            “Dorian?” Valery asked in quiet surprise.

            “Yes, it’s me.” Dorian could hear his own relief. “Thank you for taking my call.  I need your help, Valery.  Klaus is missing, and I suspect some neo-Nazis have him.”

            There was a silence, then the other spoke even more softly. “You do realize that the COA is not officially aligned with any branch of that organization.”

            “Yes, I do.  But I have nowhere else to turn.”

            “Why?”

            Dorian quickly explained the situation.  He knew he began to sound desperate as Valery did not jump in with an offer to help.  When he finished, Valery did not reply for a full minute.

            “Can you be reached at this number?” he inquired at last.

            “No, I’m staying in a hotel.” Dorian gave the name and address hopefully.

            “Wait there,” Valery requested, then hesitated. “Try to get some sleep.  It may be a while before you hear from me.”

            “Right.  Thank you.”

            Dorian returned to the hotel, weary now.  He instructed the front desk to put through any phone calls, no matter what the hour, then retired to his room, where he fell asleep fully dressed while reading Klaus’s personal file.

            At seven o’clock there was a knock at the door.  Slightly fuzzy-headed, Dorian answered it, and pulled Valery into a spontaneous hug.  He closed the door before elaborating.

            “Thank you for coming!  This means you’ll help us?” he exclaimed.

            “Yes, but I can’t say how till Sebastian calls.” Valery sank down on the room’s one comfy chair, and Dorian realized how tired the smaller man looked.  Strands of his magnificent hair had come loose from a satin bow, and his enormous eyes were not as bright as Dorian remembered. “We’ll need to be ready to move as soon as he does.”

            “All right.  What is he--”

            “I’ll tell you once I know.”

            Dorian almost pried further, but he suddenly let it go, grateful just to have this chance.  While Valery slumped in the chair, Dorian went to take a shower.  It woke him up and revitalized his spirits almost as much as Valery’s appearance had.

            He was toweling himself dry when the phone rang.  He could hear Valery answer it, so he opened the bathroom door.  Valery was frowning.

            “He’s here.  Just a moment,” he said, holding out the receiver.  When Dorian came out towel-clad to take it, Valery turned away. “Don’t talk too long.  Sebastian may not try again if he gets a busy signal.”

            Confused, Dorian took the phone. “Hello?”        

            “Lord Gloria.” Z’s voice was muffled. “Were you able to find anything?”

            “Yes, I believe so.  I’m waiting to hear right now.”

            “Who was that who answered?”

            “A friend.  He’s helping.”

            “Is there anything I can do?”

            “I’m not sure yet.”

            “When shall I call back?”

            “We may need to leave suddenly.  I’ll call you as soon as I know anything,” Dorian promised.       He hung up and turned to Valery, but the other had curled up in the chair again and wasn’t facing him.  More alarmed by the second, Dorian dressed, then caught a maid in the hallway to order room-service.  He got enough food for two, but wasn’t surprised when Valery set his aside.

            “Just tell me this,” Dorian finally said. “Is your mood so bleak because you’ve learned something about Klaus?  Or is it for some other reason entirely?”

            Valery shrugged himself out of his funk.  He put down the papers he’d been reading, which Dorian realized belatedly were some of the printouts he’d snagged from NATO. “Another reason entirely.” He met Dorian’s eyes and sat up straighter. “Sebastian did not want to act on this.  He said my debt to you is repaid, and I owe you nothing.  I have no influence in this matter; only he has the authority to intercede in the activities of our... of the neo-Nazis.  They will not listen to him willingly, but they _will_ listen to him.”

            “Does he know which branch is responsible for the fires?”

            “No, but he has contacts in the higher branches who will know.  He has agreed to exert pressure on them to find out which branch might have Klaus.  That is all he can do.  If they refuse to tell him, then his part in it is finished.” Valery had to acknowledge Dorian’s dismay. “In that case, I’ve told him that I will work with you myself to track down the guilty branch.  Although I have no connections, I may have more information than NATO does.”

            “What will that mean for you?” Dorian was astonished now.

            “If we fail, it will mean that we both end up as dead as Klaus.  If we succeed, it will mean I am no longer trusted within COA/neo-Nazi circles.”

            “But why are you doing this then?  I never meant to put you at risk--”

            “I’m doing it because I told Sebastian I would.” Valery looked away again. “I told him that if he didn’t help, I would do it myself.  It was the only way he would agree to take action... But he could not guarantee results, and I could not back down...” He glanced up, and Dorian recognized he was really not at his best.  Under other circumstances, Valery would not be revealing this much.  There was color in his cheeks, but he spoke levelly. “I was in bed with him when you called, and... that is never a position of strength for me.  If I’d backed down on my threat, I would have lost too much ground... which I can’t afford to lose.”

            Dorian did not even try to reply.  Whatever Valery’s relationship with Sebastian, it was sounding as complex as Dorian’s with Klaus. 

            The phone rang then, and Valery again answered it.  This time he listened silently, simply nodding to Dorian’s questioning look.  At last he hung up, more lively than he’d been all morning.

            “I have an address,” he announced. “We must go at once.  The neo-Nazis have been warned and are clearing out, but they’ve agreed to leave the Major behind.  He was alive when Sebastian spoke to them, but he was in bad shape and could still die.”

            “Do you have a car?” Dorian demanded, already halfway out the door.

            “No, but a taxi will do--”

            “I have a car,” Z volunteered, falling into quickstep with them from where he’d been waiting down the hall. “Where are we going?”

            Valery had frozen. “Who is this?”

            “One of Klaus’s men.  He can be trusted,” Dorian promised, tugging on Valery’s arm.  The smaller man’s eyes were wide as he studied the blond agent, and he was looking more and more wary. “Z, this is Valery.  That’s all you need to know.  Come on, we don’t have time to waste!”

            Valery finally nodded and ran with them down to the street.  He gave Z directions, and to Dorian’s relief the address was within Bonn, only thirty minutes distance.  It was the longest thirty minutes of his life.

            The place they sought was an abandoned office building, dark and boarded up.  Z kicked down the front doors, then they split up, taking on faith Sebastian’s information that the neo-Nazis had vacated.  Dorian searched the main floor, checking each empty, dust-coated room for signs of life.  Z had hurried upstairs, and Valery had headed for the basement.  When the latter called out, both the others ran down to join him.

            “Someone’s been here,” Valery indicated a collection of footprints on the floor.  They tracked to another set of stairs leading to a sub-basement. 

            The lower level contained only one corridor, and all the rooms off it appeared to have been in recent use.  They broke each door down quickly, able to tell instantly that the rooms had been stripped clean and abandoned.  Each time, Dorian’s heart went into overdrive, and each time he was disappointed, until only one closed door remained in the hall.

            Z broke down this door too, and then stood back to let Dorian pass.  Instead, Dorian faltered on the threshold, shocked at what he saw, then his brain recouped.

            “Call NATO!  Get an ambulance!” he ordered Z, who had taken one look and already had his cell phone out.  Dorian and Valery rushed to Klaus while Z obeyed.

            The Major appeared unconscious, and it was just as well.  He had been badly mistreated: his left eye was blackened and swelled shut, and there was dried blood all down the side of his face.  He lay curled up on a low cot, one wrist cuffed to the head-rail, the other discolored and swollen and clearly useless.  His was fully clothed, but both his shirt and slacks were torn and filthy where they’d come into contact with rough walls and floor.  Abrasions underneath had bled through in more than one place.

            “Klaus!” Dorian cried, touching his cheek gently.  Klaus’s skin was noticeably hot. “Can you hear me, darling?”

            There was no response, so Dorian swallowed his fear and moved to unlock the cuff.  Valery knelt beside the cot to study Klaus’s injuries, so it was he whom Klaus saw upon opening his one good eye.  His automatic scowl turned to an expression of disbelief.

            “Lie still, Major,” Valery advised quickly. “An ambulance is coming.”

            “No,” Klaus said hoarsely, struggling to sit up.  When the cuff sprang open, he leaned forward, focusing on Valery with difficulty. “Find Dorian.  He’s hurt.  Find him first--”

            “Dorian is all right.  He’s here.  He’s safe.” Valery met Dorian’s eyes in bewilderment, then had to return his attention to Klaus, who had grasped his shoulders with both hands and was shaking him, broken wrist or not.

            “Find him!  Save him!” Klaus repeated.  His feverish gaze shifted to Z, who’d come in and was staring helplessly. “He’s been hurt because of me!”

            Dorian had had quite enough of this.  He stepped into Klaus’s line of sight, only to have the Major suddenly draw in his breath and collapse into Valery’s arms, again unconscious.  Valery, pinned under his weight, needed Dorian and Z’s help to lay him back on the cot.  Only then did Klaus’s clenched fist loosen enough to drop a piece of torn red silk to the floor.  It was stiff and dark with dried blood.

            “I’ll meet the medics upstairs,” Z volunteered suddenly, exiting even as he spoke.

            “Your major is delirious,” Valery stated with much more composure. “I think some of his wounds are infected.” He picked up the bit of silk and examined it as if it would tell him something.

“But I don’t think he’s dying.”

            Dorian smoothed Klaus’s mussed hair tenderly back from his face. “Thanks to Sebastian...”

            “Yes.  And since the neo-Nazis were allowed a chance to flee, they will not retaliate.”

            “Then you’re safe too.”

            Valery nodded.  Before he could comment on Sebastian’s machinations, even if he were so inclined, Z came running back with several white-uniformed men who smoothly loaded Klaus onto a stretcher.  Dorian and Valery were efficiently bumped out of the way.  They ended up following the ambulance to NATO’s preferred hospital, then being told to wait... and wait... and wait.

            Dorian forced himself to sit quietly in the lounge, and in that he succeeded better than Valery, who kept glancing at the clock on the wall.  Every time the other looked up, Dorian feared he’d say his farewells, and Dorian wasn’t sure he could bear to wait alone.  He sighed in relief when Valery simply used his cell phone to call his employer.  Dorian couldn’t hear the conversation, but it was far too short to have been very informative.  Valery’s face afterwards was shuttered.

            “He knows?” Dorian asked once the other had slipped the phone back into his slightly too large jacket.

            “Yes.  He had someone watching.” Valery’s tone was ambiguous. “Which means either he did not trust the neo-Nazis, or he did not trust us.  It doesn’t matter; he must always take precautions, even with me.”

            “Is there anything I can do to help you with him?” Dorian offered.

            “No.” Valery’s lips curved in a faint smile. “But thank you.” He didn’t explain what he found amusing. “Sometimes I don’t think there is any help for the situation we’re in.”

            “How... depressing.”

            “Yes.  We’re both in places we don’t want to be.  I can’t leave as long as he’s trapped there, and he can’t leave... period.”

            Dorian tried to fit this into the information he’d read at NATO, but it didn’t make sense.  He was willing to bet it was NATO that didn’t have all the necessary pieces.

            “Does he feel the way you do about it?” he asked tentatively.

            “I don’t know.”

            “How long have you been together?”

            “That’s hard to say.  It depends on your definition of ‘together’.” Valery attempted another smile, which froze when they saw several of the Major’s men appear at the door.  A minute later he’d vanished down the corridor.  Two minutes later Dorian followed as the Chief himself showed up.

            Z had reluctantly returned to NATO, so long before Klaus was allowed visitors, there was a roomful of alphabetical well-wishers.  The Chief pulled rank to see him first, but reappeared almost immediately, simply grumping that the Major was in no condition to be debriefed.  Promising to return, he took most of the men away with him.  Only Z remained behind, and Dorian, peeking out from an empty room nearby, suspected it was against his superior’s instructions.

            After talking to a doctor, Z located them. “The Major wants to see you _,_ ” he said to Valery with a puzzled frown; the latter had shown up again as soon as the Chief’s entourage had gone.   Dorian shrugged, not about to let Klaus’s wishes deter him now any more than ever they did when he was well.  He led the way to the Major’s room.

            Bandages covered almost every visible inch of their patient.  He lay flat, one of his eyes hidden behind gauze, the other closed.  It wasn’t until Dorian, Valery and Z had gathered around the bed that he opened his eye, and again saw Valery first.

            “Did you find him?” he croaked, straining to sit up.  The IV in his arm came with him grudgingly. “Is he alive?  Is he here?”

            “If you mean me, darling, I’m quite alive,” Dorian murmured, perching carefully on the edge of the bed.  Klaus twisted around at the sound of his voice.  To Dorian’s amazement, he was pulled into the German’s arms and crushed to his chest.  Fortunately, Klaus was too weak to do any damage. “Klaus?”

            “Thank God you are all right!” Klaus cried into his hair with so much emotion that Dorian almost didn’t recognize his voice.  Dorian returned the embrace cautiously, raising his eyebrows at Valery over the Major’s head. “I am sorry!  I tried to prevent them from hurting you!  I did everything I could!”

            What he meant finally clicked, and Dorian gasped in indignation. “Those bastards!  Did they tell you they’d kidnapped me too?” Klaus didn’t loosen his hold, so Dorian squirmed far enough back to see his face.  The Major looked pale and dazed. “Darling?  It was a lie.  They never had me.  They never hurt me.”

            Klaus blinked at him in confusion, adrenaline finally failing him. “They... they told me... They showed me your shirt... your hair... I heard you scream.”

            “It wasn’t me.”

            “Then...” Pausing in mid-sentence, Klaus lowered his head to Dorian’s shoulder.  His grip didn’t noticeably relax, but after a moment Dorian realized he’d passed out again.  He hugged his dear Major to him a while longer, then gently laid him back against the pillows.  Only after he stood up did he notice that they were alone in the room.

            Valery was waiting in the corridor, leaning casually against the wall. “Z says one of them will stay at the hospital day and night till the Major is well enough to leave.”

            “I’ll be here myself except to sleep.  Which I need to do right now.  What about you?” Dorian looked at him more closely: there was a light in Valery’s lovely eyes that hadn’t been there earlier. “Did you call Sebastian again?”

            “No, but I’ll need to, to tell him that I won’t be back right away.”

            “You can come with me to the hotel--”

            “No, thank you.  I have a date.” Valery smiled sweetly at Dorian’s expression. “Z and I are going out for a drink.”

            “Z?” Dorian grinned before remembering the consequences. “You know Klaus is going to blame me for letting you seduce his protégé--”

            “It was Z’s idea.”

            “It was?” Again, before he could dwell on the delightful possibilities, Dorian recalled another factor. “How will you keep him from guessing who you are?”

            Valery shrugged. “I suspect he already knows.  He asked me to tell you to stick to art and jewelry.  You’ll never make it as a computer thief.”

            “Oh.” Concluding that he’d left a mile wide trail of his activities on Klaus’s workstation, Dorian decided he didn’t care.  It was worth it.  He only hoped Valery hadn’t found anything useful in the files that could be traced back to them. “Have fun,” he said instead. “And whatever happens, don’t tell me about it.”

            Valery’s grin was good to see. “I won’t.”

            Dorian returned to the hotel alone, and paused only to call his people in London before falling into bed.  It was just dinnertime, but he felt as if he’d been on a rollercoaster for the last twenty-four hours, and he was grateful to be on solid ground again.  Within minutes he was asleep.

            Early next morning he breakfasted, then headed back to the hospital.  Agent B was asleep in the lounge, which reassured Dorian that nothing untoward had occurred overnight. To his satisfaction he was the Major’s first visitor, and the Major was awake to receive him.

            “How are you feeling today, darling?” Dorian greeted him.  Klaus was sitting up in bed, and his one visible eye was more alert.  He looked Dorian over so intensely that Dorian was undecided whether to blush or turn around so he could inspect the other side. “Did you get some rest?”

            “You are unharmed,” Klaus deduced, his voice back to normal.

            “Completely.” Dorian sat down in a chair this time. “I’m sorry you thought I was being hurt.  Are you able to tell me what happened?”

            “I have not been debriefed yet,” Klaus stated, then calmly ignored NATO policy. “I received a message from you, asking to meet that evening.  Did you send it?” Dorian shook his head. “When I arrived at the place you had chosen, I was ambushed.  They told me they had grabbed you too.  They said...” He looked away from the Englishman. “They said that you would suffer if I did not give them the information they wanted.  I did not cooperate at first, and there was screaming... They showed me a lock of blond hair with blood on it.  A piece of red cloth that they said was from your shirt.  They said the next piece they showed me would be one of your ears.  So I answered their questions.” Klaus’s mouth tightened, but he met Dorian’s wide eyes. “I gave them the information they wanted as long as it did not endanger anyone else.  If their questions involved other agents’ lives, I did not answer, and each time I refused, there was more screaming.  I believed they were torturing you.”

            Dorian pulled his chair next to the bed and grasped Klaus’s good hand.  There was no resistance. “Oh, darling, how horrible!”

            “I was afraid you would not survive the ordeal,” Klaus continued stiffly, as if forcing himself to say it all. “And the thought of you dead made me...” For a few seconds he struggled, but the words Dorian wanted to hear would not come out. “Made me glad you are not.”

            “Well, that’s something,” Dorian murmured. “I’m glad I’m not dead too.”

            “I could not bear the thought of you, of anyone, being hurt because of me.”

            “In a way you were hurt because of me, and I can’t bear _that,_ ” Dorian replied. “Thank you for caring enough to try to protect me.”

            “I do not...” Klaus could hardly deny it since he’d just moved his fingers to find a more secure grip on Dorian’s. “I care.  Not the way you want, but I care.”

            Dorian’s heart rose and his smile bloomed. “That’s all I ask, darling.  For now.”

            Klaus’s scowl was a pale shadow of his usual glare. “It is your turn to tell how you found me.  Valery?”

            “When I suspected the neo-Nazis, I called him,” Dorian admitted. “Sebastian was able to exert some influence.  We had to let the neo-Nazis go free, but you can always mop them up later.” Klaus snorted at his blithe confidence. “When NATO asks, I’ll say that Valery was never there.  I’ll say that one of my criminal contacts led me to you.”

            “The distinction being?”

            “The distinction being that Valery was ready to risk his position in the COA in order to save your life.  Be nice,” Dorian chided.

            “Z was there,” Klaus said rather than argue. “His report will reveal a third party.  He may even figure out who Valery really is.”

            “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Dorian decided, trying to look innocent.  His adoring blue eyes were apparently enough to distract the Major, because he dropped the subject, although not Dorian’s hand.  An hour later when Agent A walked in, Klaus was asleep still holding it.

            Ousted by the news that the Chief was on his way, Dorian headed to the cafeteria for tea, and ran smack into two people he’d been wondering about all morning.  Valery and Z sat at a table in a corner, sipping coffee and gazing into each other’s eyes.  For a minute Dorian watched them, fondly recalling what love had been like back before he fell for his obstinate and irresistible Major. Then Valery seemed to sense his gaze; he smiled as Dorian approached, while Z turned slightly pink and excused himself.  Dorian took his seat thoughtfully.

            “Don’t give me any details,” he reiterated, “but is Sebastian going to be all right with this?”

            Valery shrugged. “He takes other lovers.”

            “And you don’t mind?”

            “It is not my place to mind.”

            “...Your relationship does not sound ideal.”

            “It’s not, in any way.” He sighed, then met Dorian’s eyes. “Even under normal circumstances we might clash.  As members of the COA, nothing is normal for us.  Every time we come close to reaching an understanding, something happens to disrupt it.  Sebastian has certain expectations to meet, and so do I, so our relationship remains in limbo.”

            Dorian let it go again, more curious than ever about the assassin’s connection with his mysterious employer.  He was eager to help, but unwilling to pry.  Valery was definitely one of the most enigmatic men he’d ever met, and it looked like he was going to remain that way.

            “Klaus is awake,” he said instead. “We’ve agreed that NATO is not to know of your involvement.  Do you think Z will contradict us?”

            “No.  He understands the situation.”

            “When does Sebastian expect you back?”

            Valery sighed. “Soon.  I am needed there.  But I’d like to say good-bye to the Major before I go.  Can you clear the way for me?”

            “Certainly.”

            They returned to Klaus’s ward, where a handful of agents were milling around his door.  Leaving Valery in the empty room nearby, Dorian marched into their midst.  As anticipated, he was immediately pounced on to provide his interpretation of events, as opposed to the incomplete tale they were getting from the patient.  Klaus bared his teeth in a smile as even the Chief followed Dorian back to the lounge.

            A half an hour later Dorian slipped away from them ostensibly to visit the restroom.  He was surprised to find Valery still sitting with Klaus, talking softly.  Z guarded the door, but he didn’t even try to prevent another unauthorized visitor from entering.

            “They’re threatening to come back,” Dorian announced. “I guess they don’t care for my version any more than yours.” He turned to Z, whose color had stabilized at an attractive shade of pale rose that went well with his golden hair. “Have you given your report yet?”

            “No.  I have an appointment with the Chief this afternoon,” he said, then turned to the Major. ”I’ll tell them whatever you advise, sir.”

            Klaus nodded. “For reasons I will explain at a later date, I wish you to omit the presence of this man in your report.  Do you have a problem with that?”

            “No, sir.” Z’s only problem seemed to be in looking at the man in question.  From where he stood, Dorian could see Valery’s dazzling smile, and it was making Z fidget.  Klaus was oblivious. “Perhaps I should see this gentleman out if the Chief is coming back.”

            “Yes, do that.” Klaus offered his hand to Valery, who accepted it with a straight face. “I thank you for your assistance,” he said solemnly. “I, and NATO, now owe you a debt of honor.”

            Valery bowed his head briefly. “You may be sure I will not redeem it except in an emergency, Major.  Thank you.” He stood up and moved toward the door, only pausing in front of Dorian. “I would like to meet sometime when none of our lives are in danger, to further discuss what we talked about in the cafeteria.  I also have some ideas regarding your analogous situation.  Do you think that’s possible?”

            Dorian was pleased and intrigued. “Yes.  You know how to reach me.”

            With a small nod Valery was out the door, followed by his bewitched escort.  Dorian truly hoped they’d find more time to spend together before the dark-haired assassin was forced to return to his other life.

            “So, darling, how are you doing?” he said cheerfully, taking the chair beside the bed.

            “I am recovering as expected,” Klaus replied shortly.  His earlier sentiment had retreated to wherever he usually hid it. “Do you have any cigarettes on you?”

            “No, and even if I did, you’re in no condition to smoke.”

            Klaus opened his mouth as if to debate that, then shook his head in exasperation.  His next move was to ignore his guest completely, which Dorian allowed for exactly three minutes.

            “Why is it you owe Valery a debt of honor, but never me?” he complained.

            “I have saved your life before.  Do you owe me anything?”

            “Only my heart.”

            The visible half of Klaus’s face darkened. “Do not say things like that!”

            “Why?  It’s true.  If I didn’t love you, would I have come to your rescue?”

            “Yes.  You are my partner.  It is your duty--”

            “No, darling, it isn’t, and don’t you dare claim that’s the only reason you were worried about me!” Dorian exclaimed, anticipating his Major’s attempt to wriggle out of owning up to the concern he’d unintentionally revealed. “You would have done anything to keep me safe.  You even cared more for my well-being than your own when you were found.  Don’t tell me you react like that whenever one of your men is threatened.  I won’t believe it.”

            “You are not one of my men.  You are a civilian--”

            “I am special to you.  Admit it.”

            “You are...” For a moment Klaus’s thoughts were crystal clear, and Dorian expected him to finish the sentence with ‘a pain in the backside’.  A second later, the German’s expression noticeably softened. “Yes, you are special.”

            Dorian’s heart melted immediately. “I am?”

            “You are the only thief I have ever worked with.”

            “I am.”

            “I do care about your well-being.”

            “You do?”

            “And that is why we cannot work together anymore.  You are at risk if my enemies know that they can get to me through you.” Klaus watched Dorian’s face closely. “I must not be vulnerable.  I cannot allow a weak point.  Do you understand?”

            “Yes,” Dorian said slowly. “Iron Klaus must be untouchable.”

            “Exactly.  I have never given information before.  There will be repercussions within NATO because I gave information this time.  It must never happen again, for either of our sakes.”

            “What will they do to you?”

            “It doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you be safe.”

            Dorian sighed, reluctantly seeing his point.  He picked up Klaus’s bruised hand and stroked it, then happened to glance up in time to see a glint in his Major’s eye.  It wasn’t one of sympathy. “Wait a minute.  Is this another trick to keep me out of your missions?”

            “No, of course not--”

            “You devious kraut!”  Dorian stood up, admiration and outrage warring within him. “You almost had me!”

            “Every word was true!” Klaus protested.  His empty hand lay on the mattress as if unsure what to do with itself. “I cannot help if the obvious conclusion is--”

            “Obvious to you maybe.  Not to me.”

            “They did not capture you this time, but they could have.  They knew that I would talk if you were threatened.  That is not acceptable.”

            “Then I’ll take more precautions.  As you should too.”

            “I will.  That is not the issue--”

            “I am not afraid to work with you, Klaus.” Dorian sat down again, ready to forgive the invalid’s scheming. “Besides, since you already care for me,” he savored the words, to Klaus’s clear discomfort, “I would be in as much danger without you as with you.  In fact, maybe the obvious conclusion is for us to stay together so that you can protect me at all times.”

            “Do not be ridiculous.” Defeated, Klaus could not even work up the energy to curse the suggestion.  He allowed Dorian to clasp his hand again, apparently at a loss for words.  He only removed it when his other unwanted visitors returned, the Chief leading with a frown.  It seemed to inspire the Major to increase his own.

            “I’ll be going now,” Dorian suddenly said, noting with private glee that Z was not among the alphabet present. “Take care of yourself, darling.”

            “Do not hurry back,” Klaus groused.

            “Don’t be silly.  Of course I’ll hurry back.  I’m going to be here every minute I can, darling, keeping us both safe.” Dorian blew him a kiss good-bye, at which Klaus looked as dismayed as if he had actually planted one on him.  He glanced from the blond to his boss and sank further back into the pillows with a groan, as if to say ‘what a choice’.  Then his weary green gaze drifted back towards Dorian, as if the choice had been made.

            Dorian gave him an enormous grin as he left the room.  


End file.
